Myths About Acne You Probably Think Are True

Acne is an unsightly skin condition and a cause of major embarrassment for many people across the world. Almost everyone in the world will have experienced acne at some point in their lives on their face or on their bodies. Fortunately, it is easily treatable.

However, you will be surprised by how many of the common myths surrounding acne and how to treat it are completely false. Here are some examples of acne myths which are simply not true:

Only Teenagers Get Acne

Although the hormonal changes in puberty are what often causes acne to first appear, this is a myth which is just not true because many people suffer from acne well into their adult years. It is not uncommon for someone in their 20s or 30s to suffer from acne breakouts and it can even happen to people who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

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People Get Acne Because they are Dirty and Don’t Wash

Many people are under the impression that acne is caused by dirty skin, resulting in them scrubbing their face vigorously several times per day. However, this is not true.

Acne is a very complex skin disorder that is caused by a combination of factors including natural skin oils and hormones. It cannot be boiled down to simply being “dirty”. In fact, scrubbing your face too much can cause your skin to go into overproduction of oil to compensate, which can make acne worsen.

Popping a Zit Makes it Go Away

Sure, popping a zit might make it disappear for now, but what are you really doing to your skin? This is a myth which needs to stop, because popping a whitehead actually spreads the bacteria-filled pus into the surrounding skin. This causes even more pimples and can even result in long term scarring.

Instead, wash the surrounding area gently with warm water and apply benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

Getting a Tan Will Cure Your Acne

While it is true that acne is less noticeable on tanned skin, this is not a very healthy solution for treating acne. UV rays dry out your skin which, as explained before, will make the condition worse. Not to mention that UV exposure causes premature aging and skin cancer!

These are just a few of the most harmful myths about acne which are simply not true and are encouraging people to treat their acne in all the wrong ways.